RETRO ROCKETS
Arteta says Jorginho is not just another ageing Gun-fighter they’ve signed from Chelsea... he’s a golden oldie who will be a great leader
MIKEL ARTETA insists Arsenal’s £12million deadline-day swoop for Jorginho has not bought another Chelsea pensioner with his best days behind him.
Gunners fans did not greet the Italy midfielder’s arrival at the Emirates with street parties or bunting – even though the 31-year-old’s track record at Stamford Bridge reads like the credits rolling on a Hollywood movie.
Arteta made his move for the 2021 European Footballer of the Year (left) after Mohamed Elneny required knee surgery, which is likely to keep him out for the rest of the season, and Brighton rejected two bids up to £70m for Moises Caicedo.
The Arsenal boss admitted: “You don’t always get it right, but we put all the work and intention to make it work – and I am confident that this one will be good.”
The Gunners’ recent shopping for Chelsea cast-offs has not been an unqualified success.
David Luiz (inset, top) won the FA Cup in 2020 but was rarely accused of presiding over a watertight defence, Willian (inset, centre) was a flop with one goal in 37 appearances and, going further back, William Gallas (inset, bottom) did not win a trophy in four years at the Emirates.
But Arteta is convinced Jorginho (the pair above with the club’s sporting director, Edu) will bring leadership in a critical month for the title chasers. And he could be pitched into the bearpit atmosphere of Goodison Park if Thomas Partey fails to shake off a rib injury.
“Every time you sign a player you generate some debate,” said Arteta (below), after being named manager of the month for January.
“Maybe they don’t have experience, maybe they are too young, maybe he’s not that well-known.
“But we do a lot of work behind the scenes to try to understand exactly the profile we need.
“With the latest news on Mo’s injury, we needed a player in that position and Jorginho is someone I have always admired, a great character and someone who is going to bring leadership.
“He is going to help the team a lot with his intelligence, his personality and the way he understands our way of playing.
“He is a player that will fit in really well with what we want to do.” Arsenal have dropped only seven points over the first half of the
Premier League campaign – two of them at rockbottom Southampton – and Arteta recognises the danger awaiting his front-runners at Sean Dyche’s baptism of fire as Everton manager.
He is also pained by his former club’s struggles, adding: “It hurts, especially because of the years that I had there as a player, the gratitude I feel towards the club, the love I feel towards the club. From the bottom of my heart, I hope they can turn this around.
“Everton are going to ask different questions of us to Manchester United in our last league games but, for sure, they will be difficult questions to answer.”
Fewer than two years ago, with football in lockdown, thousands of fans picketed the Emirates in animated protest against Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke ahead of a dismal home defeat by Everton.
Now the boot is on the other foot, with the Toffees fans in open revolt against chairman Bill Kenwright and owner Farhad Moshiri.
Arteta observed: “At the moment we have a very stable and energised atmosphere around the club.
“But it takes a lot to build it and very little to lose it, so the most important thing is that we play well, win football matches and we’ll be fine.”